Device for draining the main pipe of heating installations of railroad cars



Dec. 4, 1928. 1,694,289

H. SRULOWITZ DEVICE FOR DRAINING THE MAIN PIPE OF HEATING INSTALLATIONS OF RAILROAD CARS Filed Feb. 20, 1922 Fig.1

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.5754 SIIPPL Y P/PE Patented Dec. 4, i928.

HERMANN SRULOWI TZ, Oll VIENNA, AUSTRIA.

DEVICE FOR DRAINING THE MAIN PIPE 0F HEATING .TNSTALLATIONS OF RAILROAD CARS. v

Application filed. February 20, 1922, Serial No. 538,118, and in Austria March 2, 1921.

This invention relates to steam heating installations, particularly to those in railway cars and the like, and has for its object to improve the operation of such installations generally and especially to improve the drainage of the condensate therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide greater security against freezing of the water in such installations during cold weather.

A still further object of the invention is to increase the efliciency of such a steam heating installation by utilizing as far as possible for heating purposes the heat contained in the condensate.

It is a well known fact that, in steam heating installations for railway cars as heretofore constructed and in which the escape of the condensate is controlled by a thermostatic element, all of the condensate either cannot be drained or can only be removed in a very uneconomical way by permitting the steam, together with the condensate, to escape into the open air. Therefore, in such installations, a large quantity of water is always present in the main or steam supply pipe, which impairs the efficiency of the installation and is not utilized in an efficient manner.

According to this invention the water of condensation contained in the main or steam supply pipe is drained through the heating installation, so that the condensate is utilized for heating purposes. In a steam heating system, such as is in general use, this would not be possible because of the danger that the condensate may freeze, whereas according to this invention danger of freezing is avoided by providing two connections between the steam supply pipe and the heating installation, through one of v-chich steam may flow while through the other mainly water of condensation is discharged by virtue of difference of steam pressure in the two conduits. Therefore, Water alone is never permitted'to enter the radiators and all danger of freezing is avoided. The two connections may join either in the pipe leading to the heating installation or in the heating installation itself or in any space in communication therewith. Preferably the conduit which carries the steam is provided with means to reduce the pressure of the steam flowing therethrough so that only a small back pressure is espe rienced in the conduit which conveys the condensate from the steam supply pipe to the heating installation.

The drawings illustrate several embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a second embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of another em bodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4- is a similar View of another embodiment of the invention.

Corresponding parts are designated by like reference characters. Referring first to Figure 1 a designates the main or steam supply pipe and Z) a pipe arranged at a lower level than the pipe a and connected to the latter. The pipe Z) serves as a receptacle for water of condensation from the main or steam supply pipe a. Two conduits lead from the main or steam supply pipe a and the pipe Z), respectively, to the steam supply pipe of the heating installation. These conduits' are formed by two pipes, openings or other communications leading from the main pipe a or the steam trap respectively, one of them 0 being mainly designed for the passage of the steam, the other cl for the passage of the water. Both conduits 0 and cl join in the steam delivery pipe 6. l/Vhenever steam .is flowing through the steam supply pipe a,

a reduction of pressure is caused to occur in the conduit 0 by reason of the reduced area of the conduit 0 between the pipe a and the pipe 6 and this causes a difference between the heights of the water levels in the pipes (Z and Z). Figure 2 shows a modified form of receptacle forwater of condensation which. comprises a chamber 6 to the upper part of which the main or steam supply pipe 0 is connected and which is divided by a partition 7' into two parts (7/ and (Z The partition 7 terminates above the bottom of the chamber Z), thus oifording communication between the lower portions of the parts a? and (Z of the chamber 1), and hasiat its upper portion an opening 0 which .is of smaller area than the steam supply pipe a and the steam delivery pipe e, which latter pipe is connected to the upper portion of the part d of said chamber. Thus the resistance to the flow of steam from the pipe at through the opening 0 in the partition 7' is greater than that to the flow hf steam from the pipe at below the partition f to the pipe 6. This difference is compensated by different heights of the level of the water of condensation in the two parts cl and (Z of the chamber 6, that is to say, the level of the water in the part 0? is lower than the level of the water in the part d so that the steam flowing below the partition f carries oil the water from the part 6Z2 while the level of the water in the part cl is kept below the point where the pipe a is connected to the chamber 2;.

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the invention wherein the steam supply pipe a is connected to the upper portion of a chamher 5 and a pipe 0 connects the upper portion of 'the pipe a with the steam delivery pipe 6. A restriction in the pipe 0 causes a higher steam pressure to exist on the side of same adjacent the pipe athan on the opposite side, and a pipe (Z connects the lower portion of the chamber to the pipe 0 on the opposite side of said restriction from the pipe a.

According to Figure l the pipe at is connected to a Chamber 6 above the bottom oi the latter and a 3i 3e a risin from the u 3 or portion of the chamber 5 is connected to the steam delivery pipe 6. A second pipe (I connects the lower portion of the chamber l) with the pipe 6 and a partition in the pipe between the junctions of the pipes 0 and 07* with the latter has an orifice or passageway of smaller cross-section than the pipes c and (Z By these means Water of condensation is caused to penetrate into the feed pipe 6 which is arranged at a higher level than the pipe at and from there it will be carried on by the steam into the heating installation. The condensation water thus carried into the heaters or radiators will then escape into the open air in the known manner by gravity by virtue of the inclination given to the heaters or radiators or to the whole heating installation.

The drainage of the main pipe or of the steam trap respectively after shutting off of the heating installation is effected in the same way as in the arrangements hitherto used.

I claim: 1. In a heating system for railway cars or the like, a main steam pipe and a heating apparatus, a receptacle for collecting the condensate in said main steam pipe, a communi cation path leading from the lower part 01? the receptacle to the heating apparatus and an additional communication path from the upper part of said main steam pipe joining the first and intended to carry steam into the heating installation simultaneously with the delivery of condensate into the same.

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2. In a heating system for railway cars or the like, a main steam pipe, a receptacle for collecting the condensate therein, a second receptacle, a communication between the lower end of the first receptacle and the second receptacle, another. communication at the upper side of said first receptacle with the second receptacle for carrying mainly the steam and a heating system communicating with said second receptacle.

S. In a heating system for railway cars or the like, a main steam pipe and a receptacle therein for collecting the condensate, a second adjacent receptacle separated from the running continuously from one end of the car to the other end, each heating apparatus being arranged at a higher level than the main steam pipe, a communication between the main steam pipe and each heating apparatus comprising two communication paths, one of said paths leading from the lowerpart' oi the main steam pipe upwards to the heating apparatus and adapted to carry the condensate and a second communication path leading from the upper part of the main steam path upwards to said heating apparatus and adapted to carry mainly steam.

5. In a heating system for railway cars, heating apparatus and a main steam pipe running continuously from. one end of the car to the other end, each heating apparatus g arranged at a higher level than the main steam pipe, a connection between the main steam pipe and each heating apparatus comprising two communication paths, one of these paths leading from the upper part oi. said main steam pi e to carry mainly steam upwards into the heating apparatus and provided. with means for reducing the pressure of the steam flowing therethrough, and the other path leading from the lower part of the main steam pipe upwards to the heating apparatus and intended to carry mainly the condensate from the main steam pipe to said apparatus.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

HERMANN SRULOWITZ. 

